Open AccessAlveolar epithelial cells type II are major target cells for C. pneumoniae in chronic but not in acute respiratory infection
Author(s) -
Rupp Jan,
Droemann Daniel,
Goldmann Torsten,
Zabel Peter,
Solbach Werner,
Vollmer Ekkehard,
Branscheid Detlev,
Dalhoff Klaus,
Maass Matthias
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1016/j.femsim.2004.03.004
Subject(s) - chlamydia , chlamydophila pneumoniae , copd , pathogen , biology , respiratory disease , lung , chronic infection , immunology , respiratory system , microbiology and biotechnology , chlamydiaceae , medicine , immune system , anatomy
Abstract Pulmonary presence of Chlamydia pneumoniae is associated with acute and chronic infections. We show that unapparent chlamydial infection in four out of 31 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients (12.9%) is characterized by a significant increase in infected alveolar epithelial cells type II (18.2±3.5% vs. 2.3±0.9; IHC/ISH) compared to a newly established model of acute chlamydial infection (ACIM) in vital lung specimens from pulmonary lobectomy. Expression of cHSP60 demonstrated pathogen viability and virulence in the ACIM. We conclude that target cells differ in acute and chronic chlamydial infection and suggest the ACIM as a novel tool to analyze the host–pathogen‐interactions in acute respiratory infections.